State Representative and House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, Jr., (R-142), speaks during opening day of the Connecticut State Legislature at the Capitol Building in Hartford on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.

State Representative and House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, Jr., (R-142), speaks during opening day of the Connecticut State Legislature at the Capitol Building in Hartford on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.

During a 90-minute, bipartisan homage in the historic House chambers, Cafero, a 56-year-old lawyer, said he won't see re-election this fall and will miss the personal friendships the Legislature has added to his life.

While there are six weeks of debate and deal-making left in the session, Cafero wanted to make the announcement in the early stages of the session, which ends at midnight May 7.

"This is one of the last places where your word must be your bond," said the veteran Norwalk lawmaker, who accepted standing ovations and reminiscences from colleagues, both thoughtful and playful.

"We're very fortunate to have this system of government and to have the people like yourselves who are here to serve," Cafero told his colleagues. "Anybody that comes up here thinking they've got it all figured out, there's nothing they've got to learn, their opinions are all set -- shame on you. Keep your mind open. You learn so much."

Cafero said the highlight of his tenure was major debates on gun control and abortion.

"When we do put party and politics and power aside, we do good things for the state; we've proven it time and again," Cafero said.

He had originally planned to make the announcement earlier in the short, 13-week budget-adjustment session, but an FBI investigation last month that led to the resignation of former state party chairman George Gallo from his job as GOP House chief of staff, resulted in a postponement.

Cafero said Republicans have been in the minority since he first won election in 1992. He looked up at the podium toward Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey.

"A lot of people say, `Boy, you've been in the minority for 22 years. It must have been frustrating.' Yeah, I guess so," Cafero admitted. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about standing up there every once in a while. But those were not the cards I was dealt.

"I didn't see it as a frustration. I saw it as a challenge. Our goal is to show there is a difference of opinion. Our goal is to keep the majority on their toes."

Sharkey said his feelings for Cafero are "heartfelt" and their relationship has been memorable.

"When I became speaker," Sharkey said, "Larry was the first person to come to me and say that I wasn't just the speaker of the House, or the leader of the Democratic caucus in the House, but that I was his speaker, and that it was his job that I succeed as speaker, and that speaks volumes about the man. There is no greater friend than someone you may disagree with on policy matters, but will still support you on a personal level, nonetheless."

Sharkey recalled that Cafero was crucial in last year's major bipartisan agreement on the state's gun-control laws.

"I think the person who probably is the hero of that effort, more so than anyone else, was Larry Cafero," Sharkey said. "It was Larry who brought his caucus and stayed the faith, despite the frustrations, despite the desire to go somewhere else."